The open-top concept had been quietly pitched at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, before Duerheimer took a brief stint at Bugatti and Audi. His replacement did not see the same value in the idea, however, dismissing it as a 'regional' edition that would only find buyers in the US market.

With Duerheimer back as Bentley's chief executive, he has promised that development is now "back on track," according to recent Pebble Beach comments quoted by .

"When I returned, I was a bit irritated by the fact that no work had been done on this project in two years," he added.

The convertible edition previewed in 2012 was powered by the same 6.75-liter V8 engine found in the hardtop Mulsanne, producing 505 horsepower and 752 lb-ft of torque.

Recent reports suggest the luxury marque is also working on a high-performance Mulsanne, bumping the engine output up to 550 ponies and perhaps more than 800 lb-ft of twist. It is unclear if the same upgrades will be utilized for a mightier drop-top flagship.

Previous rumors have claimed the upcoming convertible may revive the recently-retired Azure nameplate, rather than carrying a Mulsanne badge.